Real-life Lassie saves elderly woman from freezing ditch

A real-life Lassie has saved an elderly woman who had fallen into ditch in
freezing conditions by sniffing her out and howling for help.

Ten-year-old Rosie, a German Shepherd and Collie cross, pulled in the direction of the remote ditch in Broomfield, near Chelmsford, Essex and whimpered when Ms Short hauled her away. Photo: Martin Rose/Eastnews.co.uk

Hearing the sound of a dustcart, she ran to the nearby road and fetched help. Three dustmen helped haul the woman out.

Today Ms Short praised her dog, who spent the early part of her life confined to a pen in Greece until being rescued by a charity. She said : "As I shone the torch in the ditch, I heard a very faint voice saying: 'Help me, please'.

"I could not believe this little old lady had spent all night in a ditch. It was totally surreal."

The woman, who did not wish to be named, was taken to her nearby home by the dustmen after refusing an ambulance following her ordeal on January 31.

Ms Short said : "She was in a collapsed state and, had she been there much longer, the outcome might have been tragic.

"I'm really proud of Rosie. If I didn't have Rosie, I would have just walked past."

The woman said: "I must have fallen. It was a terrible job to get out."

Michele Walker, 53, who runs the animal charity Desperate Greekies which rescues dogs living in poor conditions in Greece, rehomed Rosie with Ms Short. Michele said: "Rosie is a very intelligent dog, which is amazing for an animal that spent its early life kept in a small pen.

"She made such a fuss over the ditch that Jackie just had to go and see what the matter was. It looks like she may have saved the poor woman's life."